Being independent, strong willed, determined, capable, and compassionate are the first things you notice about Jessica Beers after talking to her for a while. This Big Sky senior always has a smile on her face. She has short brown hair and hazel eyes, and in her own words, is “extremely short – four eleven and three fourths.”

Graduation is an emotional event, Beers said “I am extremely excited to graduate but of course I am nervous for the future, but in feeling nervous I am also excited for a new chapter and to see what I will accomplish in order to reach my goal.”

Big sky’s opportunities helped Beers decide on a career in education.“I have always wanted to be a teacher, and after tutoring in the exceptionalities classroom, I knew it was a perfect match- plus I love working with kids!”

For her senior project, Beers had six students, four teachers and two administrators be in a wheelchair for two full school days in November. Then she made a video based on their experience.

“I wanted to give them the opportunity to experience the life of someone who uses a wheelchair because of a physical disability.”

This is a subject she knows all too well as she was born with a nerve muscular disease called muscular dystrophy. “I have had a total of six surgeries from the third grade through sixth grade. The major one was my spinal fusion when I was in the fifth grade.”

After all the surgeries using the wheelchair became more frequent.“Over the years I started to use the wheelchair more and more for school and social events.”

But has this slowed her down? Not at all. Beers has been a Health Science Academy ambassador for three years. She has gone on HSA trips to Salt Lake City, Portland, and Spokane. She has volunteered with the GUTS programs through YWCA and Empower Montana. She received a community service youth award and attended prom her junior and senior year.

She still wishes she could have changed a few things to make her high school experience better. “Looking back on my freshman year, I would have tried to break out of my shell and pushed myself to get out of my comfort zone.”

Beers plans to attend the University of Montana in the fall of 2017 for a major in Special Education and a minor in Women’s Studies.